Institute for Christian Living Classes, Fall 2013 (Sundays, 11:30am-12:30pm)
This fall our focus is on how our faith calls us to live. What does it mean to be people of faith? How early does moral development start? How can reading to children spark their moral imaginations? Whether you are a parent, a grandparent or simply an adult who reads to children, see how morality can develop through literature. Princeton Theological Seminary Professor Rick Osmer and Kristie Finley, PTS student with a passion for family ministry, will lead this class (Reading and the Moral Imagination – Lounge – September 22, 29 and October 6).
The theme continues with a presentation sponsored by the Peacemaking Committee led by Dr. Paul Winkler on the topic of personal moral responsibility. What moral responsibility do we have to resist evil and injustice in society, and how is it possible to do this? (Peacemaking Forum on Personal Responsibility – Lounge – October 13).
These offerings are followed by two courses (running concurrently) that highlight core Christian convictions. A central belief that fueled the Protestant Reformation is that people come into a right relationship to God by divine grace made real through faith. In short, salvation can’t be earned by good works or moral obedience; it is the work of God alone. Explore how this conviction makes a difference in the way we view God, ourselves, and all of life. Bob Sinner and Dana Fearon (Faith in Crisis: Luther and the Search for Certainty – Lounge – October 20 and 27).
Surely one of the most fundamental Judeo-Christian beliefs is that the enduring character of God is loving, merciful and just. If this is so, how do we reconcile biblical accounts of God’s violent actions with God’s grace and mercy? Princeton Theological Seminary Professor Jacqueline Lapsley will help us see how the Old Testament presents the enduring character of God. (The Character of God in the Old Testament – Room 106 – October 20 and 27).
For more information on each of these courses, click the appropriate link.
